The Evolution and Employment of Twentieth Century Auxiliary Cruisers: A Successful Example of Asymmetric Warfare
Abstract
During both World Wars, Germany sought to disrupt the network of Allied overseas resources by attacking its opponents' seaborne commerce through the use of submarine and surface raiders. The freighters that Germany transformed into auxiliary cruisers, though less impressive than regular warships, usually survived longer at sea due to their disguised exteriors, and thus had more opportunities to disrupt Allied trade than other surface raiders. Auxiliary cruisers also had greater fuel storage capacity than many other vessels, particularly U-boats, which permitted them to operate independently for extended periods in areas such as the South Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. The destruction they wrought on merchantmen in these waters forced the Allies to divert valuable military assets and resort to convoys. Their activities, including mine laying, also caused Allied shipping rates and insurance costs to increase. This paper explains the impact of auxiliary cruiser warfare through case studies of two raiders. The first vessel patrolled the Indian Ocean from 1916 to 1918, and the second from 1940 to 1941.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 30, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1176198
Entities
People
- Tyler L Mason
Organizations
- Marine Corps University